July 1 is a day of remembrance for most Newfoundlanders & Labradorians and in Cow Head it will be a full day and evening of remembering the many young men and women who served in World War 1.

Theatre Newfoundland Labrador’s Gros Morne Theatre Festival Company has been part of the Memorial Day commemorations in Cow Head for the past 15 years and this year, being the 100th anniversary of the start of the war to end all wars, TNL has put greater emphasis on remembering.

In honor of Memorial Day, Jeff Pitcher, Artistic Director of TNL has put together a Memorial Show featuring songs from WW1 as well as telling the stories of four soldiers from the region. “We mean to tell the stories of the men whose names are etched in stone.” says Pitcher.

The Memorial Show will play at 2 pm on Tuesday, July 2 on the set of play The Known Soldier, which features a replica of the Cow Head War Memorial and a list of all the men from the region who served in the war.

“There are 16 names on the Cow Head War Memorial of the men from this area of the coast who fought in World War 1,” said Pitcher. “We want to remember those men – in most cases, boys. Where did they come from? Who were their mothers and fathers? Where did they fight? Did they survive or are they buried in a field in France or Belgium? Where? Where are their relatives living today? It’s about giving life to the name on the cenotaph.”

“This year we’ll tell the stories of Harvey Hull from Seal Islands off Labrador, Naaman Payne from Parsons Pond, Art Gill and Bill Knott from Sally’s Cove.” said Pitcher. “We’ve talked to local residents and tracked down their family lines, we’ve researched their journeys through the wonderful Rooms website dedicated to the soldiers. The people of Cow Head and area are happy we’re remembering their ancestors, we’re honored that they’ve shared their stories with us.”

Pitcher says his inspiration for this ‘simple memorial performance’ came from his personal experience of standing at a British cemetery in Etaples, France and being overwhelmed by the sheer number of white headstones “row upon row, a great number of who were Newfoundlanders and Labradorians”.

The forty-five minute show will feature actors Stephanie Payne (also musical director of the show), Adam Brake, Colin Furlong, Craig Haley, Keelan Purchase and Marquita Walsh.

The Memorial Show will be performed twice more this summer – July 12 & 16 at 9 pm. TNL’s Memorial Show will be a pay-what-u-can performance with 50% of the proceeds going to the Cow Head War Memorial Committee.

Prior to the 2 pm Memorial Show on Tuesday, July 1, 2014, TNL’s Festival company will participate in the church service at St. Mary’s Anglican Church and wreath laying ceremony, as it has so done since 2000. Pitcher will be reading at the service and Stephanie Payne will sing at the wreath laying.

At 8:30 pm The Known Soldier written and directed by Jeff Pitcher, will be on stage at The Warehouse Theatre, Cow Head.

The Known Soldier is the story of Sgt. Thomas Ricketts, the youngest soldier in the British Empire to ever be awarded the Victoria Cross. A poignant and heart-felt portrayal that follows Ricketts life from a young boy in Middle Arm, White Bay through his traumatic experiences in World War I with the Newfoundland Regiment to his later years in St. John’s. The play features Adam Brake as Tommy Ricketts, Jenn Furlong as his alter-ego, The Hag and Craig Haley in various roles.

The Known Soldier opened the 2014 Gros Morne Theatre Festival on May 31 and has been playing to appreciative audiences, both local and from away, ever since.

The Gros Morne Theatre Festival plays until Sept. 13 in Cow Head. Other plays already opened and playing in rep are TNL’s international hit play Tempting Providence by Robert Chafe and directed by the Artistic Director of the National Arts Centre, Jillian Keiley. Neddy Norris Night featuring traditional Newfoundland and Labrador songs and stories and The S.S. Ethie, a dinner theatre by Shane Ellis Coates, retelling the tale of the December, 1919 shipwreck which occurred near Sally’s Cove and where the rusted remains can still be seen (20 minutes from Cow Head).

Two productions are currently in rehearsal. Newfoundland Vinyl -“The “C” Side!” with musical direction by Allison Crowe featuring vinyl Newfoundland hits of the 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s by Newfoundland’s biggest recording stars of those eras, which opens July 11; and Martin McDonagh’s black comedy The Beauty Queen of Leenane, which opens July 18.

To round out the summer the Gros Morne Theatre Festival will again present its popular series Who’s Darkening Our Door Tonight. This year the musical talents of Daniel Payne, Danielle Smith Trio, Mary Barry, Allison Crowe, The Sharecroppers, Marquita Walsh and Stephanie Payne will darken the theatre doors in Cow Head.

For further information or to purchase tickets please visit the website at www.theatrenewfoundland.com or call the Gros Morne Theatre Festival Box Office at 1-877-243-2899.

photos by Brian Ball